Human Development and Youth Agency: Exploring Sacrifice in Socioeconomic Contexts

This study explores youth perceptions of sacrifice for future aspirations through the lens of the Human Development Index (HDI), emphasising its intersection with education and sustainability. Utilising multinomial logistic regression on data from the Youth Talks database (157 countries), this research examines how HDI and education shape youth agency in making trade-offs that influence human development. Findings reveal a paradox: while high-HDI youth endorse sustainability, they resist relinquishing personal ambitions and consumption-driven behaviours, underscoring tensions between economic security, environmental responsibility, and social justice. In lower-HDI regions, economic precarity drives short-term priorities, limiting engagement with long-term sustainability goals. Education plays a dual role–fostering adaptability and critical thinking while simultaneously reinforcing consumerist values. These insights contribute to human development scholarship by highlighting the complex interplay between institutional frameworks, economic realities, and youth agency. The study calls for policies integrating sustainability into education systems, fostering a balance between economic aspirations and social responsibility. Addressing these disparities is crucial for enabling young people to navigate sustainable futures while aligning human capabilities with broader development goals. This research offers policy-relevant insights for educators, development practitioners, and policymakers seeking to harmonise human development with sustainability principles.